NATO’s senior military officer: Russia threat growing on all fronts

NATO’s senior military officer said the alliance was confronting efforts by Russia to increase its military capabilities on virtually every level and allies were on guard to prevent any repeat of the Kremlin’s military intervention in Crimea and eastern Ukraine.

Speaking at a POLITICO Brussels Playbook breakfast Monday, General Petr Pavel, chairman of the NATO Military Committee, said that while Russia’s intentions were not necessarily clear, its growing military prowess was undeniable.

“We in uniform, we define the threat based on two major elements. One is the capability, the other is the intent,” Pavel told POLITICO’s Ryan Heath. “When it comes to capability there is no doubt that Russia is developing their capabilities both in conventional and nuclear components. When it comes to exercises, their ability to deploy troops for long distance and to use them effectively quite far away from their own territory, there are no doubts.”

The Kremlin’s intentions were less clear, he said. “When it comes to intent, it’s not so clear because we cannot clearly say that Russia has aggressive intents against NATO,” the general said.

Still, he noted Russia’s increasing military presence, and made reference to reports of the stationing of nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missiles in Kaliningrad and Crimea.

“There are elements that have to worry us and we have to stay ready,” Pavel said. “So we take this even potential threat very seriously. We do everything possible to be ready both in terms of capabilities and readiness, to face any potential threat that would mirror the situation we know from Crimea, from eastern Ukraine, not to be repeated against any NATO ally.”

He added: “We also observe an increased and more assertive attitude in both political and military leadership talking about taking all necessary measures to face NATO military build-up. We face a huge modernization of all Russia military.”

In addition to the threat from Russia, Pavel said that NATO was working to increase its efforts on counter-terrorism and that the alliance did not have the luxury of focusing only on threats from state actors.

Pavel said that NATO allies judged it important to see events in Turkey “in context” and it was likely Turkey feels “more threatened than other nations” when it comes to internal security.

“Turkey is exposed to both major challenges that NATO is now facing, that is on the one hand, a state actor, Russia, on the other hand, non-state actors, extremism, terrorism and migration,” he said. “All these severely affect Turkey directly.”

“We see Turkey as an important NATO ally that needs to be supported,” he said.

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Fortunately Russia can rely on its good, tested friend in the EU and NATO – Germany which works hard in such areas as:

– supporting authoritarian regime in Russia abusing human rights, imprisoning and killing opposition members and journalists, waging wars on neighbours and occupying foreign territories which is against EU principles and world community of democratic nations decisions:
“German foreign minister slams US sanctions against Russia”
“Angela Merkel has sharpened Germany’s attack on US plans to toughen American sanctions on Russia.”

– promoting increasing consumption of dirty fossil fuels imported to the EU from Russia by building Nordstream, Nordstream 2 natural gas pipelines and granting control over Opal pipeline to Gazprom against EU climate protection policy,

– undermining EU and NATO countries as well as Ukraine’s safety by building with Russia Nordstream, Nordstream 2 pipelines and granting control over Opal pipeline to Gazprom against EU regulations (“European Court suspends European Commission and German regulator ruling to expand Gazprom access to Opal pipeline”),

– undermining NATO capabilities by ignoring obligation to spend at least 2% of GDP on defense which means also cheating on taxpayers from countries that fulfill that obligation.

Putin must be very proud of such Berlin’s loyalty !

Posted on 6/26/17 | 9:09 PM CET

russiancitizen

when you have westerners surrounding you with their military bases

when you have america abrogating the IBM treaty

of course you would want to strengthen your military

Posted on 6/27/17 | 1:00 AM CET

Me, Myself and Woodpecker

“supporting authoritarian regime in Russia abusing human rights”
Look at Saudi Arabia, now THAT’s abusing regime!
“imprisoning and killing opposition members and journalists”
Same excuse over and over again. It’s like thousands of them are killed in Russia. What a bulls…
“waging wars on neighbours and occupying foreign territories”
Russia is not at war with any country right now, not a single one. Russia is too busy destroying IS in Syria.
“which is against EU”
Why should Russia care about union they are not part of? Besides, EU is in the middle of huge crisis and crumbles to pieces more and more every year.

Go read your Soros-funded handbook, shill.

Posted on 6/27/17 | 10:03 AM CET

Kubanek

@Me, Myself and Woodpecker
Putin and Soros are exactly the same gang. Both are “anti-fascists”. Russia is in de facto state of War with Ukraine, where Far Right wants to clean the country from last remnants of Soviet Communism. Putin, a Stalin-lover, a son of NKVD officer and a KGB agent, could not look, when Ukrainian Nationalists are ousting “democrat” Yanukovich. Russian Nationalists are filling Russian prisons in big numbers.
And Putin, does not fight with Ukraine, he only fights with “fascism”. Just like his father during the War, who served Soviets and the NKVD which was teaching SS how to kill people, in massive way.
Corrupted regime of Putinist neo-Communist Oligarkhy will fall, sooner or later. Just like EU.

Posted on 6/27/17 | 11:44 AM CET

Greetings

How come a man, who cannot differ tactical(500km range Iskander, which actually stationed in Kaliningrad) and intercontinental Missile has become a Senior NATO General?
Or is it one, who wrote this article?

I think we should stop worrying so much about Russia. At this time our war is with terrorism, and the misunderstandings that arose in Syria are testament to the fact that the US (and NATO) should speak with Russia instead of speaking evil of each other without any real knowledge of what is happening.

It seems we are reliving the Cold War era all over again just because Trump’s world map is colored by his aging…

Posted on 6/27/17 | 2:23 PM CET

jerryfrankenheimer

Given the fact that the author of the article is the highest-ranking member of the Communist Party in NATO’s command, it’s probably all true! 😀

Posted on 6/27/17 | 2:56 PM CET

Tomas

“Russian threat” seems to be a very important thing. It justifies the existence of NATO, defense spendings, military build-up in Europe, you name it. Well, it’s not surprising, given that countering an imaginary threat is much more convenient than dealing with real problems, like for example, terrorism. There ain’t no Russian tanks in the streets of London or Paris or Berlin but there are extremists on trucks running people over. Maybe that deserves Europe’s attention more than Moscow’s “not so clear” intent to invade every neighbor country and abuse every journalist’s right there.

Posted on 6/27/17 | 3:15 PM CET

Ignas Nikolajev

Yes. The threath is becoming clearer as we see it.
Next year Russia military budged is expected to grow from 0,05 to 0,06 of the US military budget.
Extremely dangerous situation.
America must prepare itself by giving even more money to military lobby. :)))))

Posted on 6/28/17 | 7:56 AM CET

Aidar

Yes Russian threat not 800 NATO bases around Russia

Posted on 6/28/17 | 8:48 AM CET

Wakko

I’m pretty sure that Gen.Pavel didn’t say “nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missiles in Kaliningrad and Crimea” – there’s no such thing. Herszenhorn is trying hard to sound bombastic, but he only managed to destroy any credibility of his article.

Posted on 6/28/17 | 12:03 PM CET

Milton38

After reading the article, or opinion, one can only come to the conclusion that the writer has no idea what he is talking about.
I can’t give my opinion on drivel.

Putin and Soros are far from being in the the same gang. Both are “anti-fascists” you say. Russia is backing Russians who were targeted during the ILLEGAL ousting of SECOND time elected Yanukovich, not one legal mechanism use in his removal, FACT.

Ukraine, where Far Right filled with Neo-Nazis now infiltrates the “new” government have used the word “clean” to cover up the mass killings of fellow Russian/Ukrainian civilians in the name of removing the “last remnants of Soviet Communism”. Putin, a lover of Russian life and a son of NKVD officer and a KGB agent, could not look on without action when Ukrainian Fascist Nationalists and Neo-Nazi thugs were ousting “Democratically Elected” Yanukovich. Ukrainian’s are fleeing to Russia to avoid being forcibly conscripted into civilian killing Neo-Fascist Azov battalion armies in ever dwindling numbers.

And Putin, does not fight with Ukraine, he only fights with “fascism”. Just like his father during the War, who served Soviets. This is teaching the U.S how to deal with people, instead of funding and supporting an ILLEGAL Coup d’état , FACT.

The corrupt regime of U.S Foreign Policy will fall on its sword as the world grows ever more educated on its evil Imperialist ways and legion of blind sheep followers.

@ General Petr Pavel
[General Petr Pavel said Russia’s increasing military presence was clear, even if its intentions were not]

I ask are you stupid?

As early as May 2007 the U.S government has been denying the Anti-Missile system was not intended to be used against or towards Russia, two U.S preidents that I know of made that claim in front of world wide media. The “threat” was supposedly Iran, yet Iran has denounced its nuclear weapons program and the Anti-Missile system still edges closer to Russia’s borders.

Russia has always publicly acknowledged they will re-act and they’ve been saying it for over 10 years. They have modernized their armed forces in “RESPONSE” to NATO’s actions.

ACTION—-REACTION

Posted on 6/28/17 | 3:00 PM CET

Stop Nato

The author of stop, stop fake news, Russia is not going anywhere, but on the contrary, NATO is building bases closer to the border of the Russian Federation.
Not Russia is close to NATO, and NATO is approaching Russia.